Learning To Breathe
by StarrGazer16
Summary: Tony Stark has a daughter from his previous girlfriend, Macy Welsh. After Macy dies in a horrible accident, Tony turns to alcohol and neglects his daughter, Dylan. After an intervention from Pepper, Dylan is taken to the S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier, where she meets Loki-who was recently banished from Asgard. First FF in this category, please don't hate. (No Longer Continuing)
1. Chapter 1

**Episode 1: Pilot**

I finished drying my hair and removed the towel from my head. I stared at the girl staring back at me in the mirror. I was unrecognizable. My deep, brown hair was now a near pale white after spending an hour bleaching it. I couldn't look at my hair anymore after mom died. I had her hair, her eyes, and her cheekbones.

I was a near mirror image of her. I leave the towel on the floor and brush out my now bleach-blonde hair. It still has a wave to it that mom's hair never had. As I brush, I catch sight of the scars on my arms, near my wrists. Little white lines that mar my arms from an inch off the wrist all the way to about six inches down.

The top scars, closest to my wrist, are the newest. There are three red, puckered, slightly bloodied cuts that I made the night before last with my pocket knife. I quit staring at myself and finish brushing my hair, then walk to the stereo. I press play and it starts booming "Wasting All These Tears" by Cassadee Pope.

I drop back onto my bed with a huff; like it was my last breath and I never wanted to breathe again. In some ways I don't. I wish my pain would go away. I wish my mother was still alive. I wish my dad hadn't turned to alcohol for his pain killer. I wish, I wish, I wish.

I lift up one of my arms and stare at the fresh cuts. I'm trying to stop cutting. Like I tried stopping the abuse of my dad's over the counter drugs. I used them to get high, forget all of my problems, but they only lasted so long and then I was alone with the pain again. So I cut. But I only felt the release until it was healed and then I was alone yet again.

Bleaching my hair is my latest attempt to get rid of my pain. A shattering sound pierces through the music. I know dad is home…but last I saw him, he was passed out on the couch. I sigh and leave the security of my bedroom. I trot down the glass steps quietly until I come upon the living room.

Broken glass is splayed across the floor, dad is crumpled on the floor in the middle, and a man I don't recognize is standing in front of dad. He has brown hair, his wearing a white shirt under a leather jacket and jeans. He notices me and his expression softens. "Maybe you should go back upstairs" he suggests.

"Who are you? Why the hell are you in my house?" I ask. Dad stumbles to his feet and glances at me before turning to his friend—or who I assume is his friend. Then he turns back toward me and narrows his eyes. "Whatdidyoudotoyourhair?" he slurs. He takes a few stumbled steps toward me and I hop up two stairs.

I must look frightened because dad's friend grabs dad's arm and holds him in place. "Tony," he says, in a way of a warning. "You need help." Dad turns back to his friend, swinging a fist in the general direction of his face. His friend moves out of it's aim easily with an annoyed yet concerned look.

Suddenly dad goes limp in his friend's arms and a silver dart with blue feathers is stuck into dad's neck. Another man walks in. This one has darker hair and is wearing dark jeans and a zipped up leather jacket. He eyes dad and says something I don't catch to dad's friend then turns slightly and glances at me. "Who's the girl?" he asks, just loudly enough for me to hear.

"His daughter" the other one says, hefting dad up further into his arms. I glance at the door and see Pepper at the door. She shakes her head at me and mouths, _Stay there_. The only person in this world I obey is Pepper. So I stay put on the stairs. The first one drags dad outside leaving me alone with the second one. He eyes me suspiciously with a stern face. "I didn't know Tony had a daughter" he says.

"I didn't know you existed" I say.

"Dylan," Pepper says coming to me. She wraps me into a hug and I try to seem like I'm trying to hug her back. "Where are they taking dad?" I ask, as she pulls away.

"Oh honey. I'm sorry you had to find out this way. Dad needs help, so he's going to be gone for a while, a long while" she said.

"What about me? What happens to me?" I ask. She gives me her best happy face when she looks to be on the verge of crying. She'd been dating my dad for a long time…this has to be hard on her, too. More than it is for me. She looks over my hair and her face changes from grief to disbelief. "Wh-okay, what did you do to your hair?" she asks.

"I bleached it" I say.

"Well, I can see that," she says. She hands me my denim jacket and leads me toward the door. She leads me outside to the car, where Happy stands waiting. He opens the back door and Pepper ushers me inside. I slide in and she shuts the door behind me. She walks back inside the house and I slump in my seat. "Don't worry. You'll be back home with your father soon."

I jump and look beside me. The first one that was in my house is sitting beside me, next to the window. I sigh and turn back toward the window. Quiet settles in. I hate quiet. With my arms crossed, I turn back toward the man sitting next to me. "I don't care who you are, or what you think you're doing here, but I love my dad. So don't give me this 'it'll all be okay' shit and expect me to care" I say, angrily, then turn back to the window.

"My name is Steve," he says, earning a glance. "I know this is hard. And I'm not gonna tell you it'll be okay, because I know it won't. It will take time—not only for Tony to sober up—but for you to move on. I'm only here because Miss Pots asked for my help."

"Fine, whatever" I mumble. Pepper finally opens the door and slides in, scooting me to the middle seat. She shuts the door and I scoot closer to her, away from Steve. I have to admit, he's pretty hot. But he's a stranger. And right now I have worse things to deal with. Like where I'm going.


	2. Chapter 2

**Episode 2: S.H.I.E.L.D.**

I pull my jacket closer to my body as Pepper opens the door. Steve gets out the other side and I follow Pepper out. She walks around the the back where Happy has the door open. Pepper walks to me and puts a black duffel on the pavement next to me and manually puts a matching backpack on my shoulder herself. "I grabbed some of your things," she says. "I didn't know specifics but I got enough outfits for you to wear until dad gets better."

"How long is that?" I ask. Happy shuts the truck and comes over. He gives me a quick hug then walks back around to the driver's seat. "What is going on?" I ask. "Everyone's acting like we're going to a funeral, and no one will tell me a damn thing!"

"Dylan," Pepper says, evenly. "Come with me." she ushers me along with her, no debate. I only just notice the large plane with an open bay door a few yards from us. It's _huge_. It doesn't look like a normal plane. Not a normal plane at all. I glance back and see Steve is following along with the second goon that was at my house when they took dad.

I turn my head back around and Pepper ushers me up the ramp into the bay. It's bigger than it looks on the inside, which is really ironic. Dad and I used to watch Doctor Who all the time when I was little, bouncing from mom's house to dad's and back again. And the Tardis was always bigger on the inside.

Pepper leads me to what seems to be the main hub of everything. It's a big room with a lot of monitors and computers and the far wall is a window. Standing in front of the window is a dark skinned man in a black trench coat thing. Pepper leaves me to stand at the top of a set of stairs, and she continues forward to meet the dark skinned man.

He turns and notices her; they shake hands; and then begin speaking words I don't catch. Steve stops beside me and thing two walks past us to a brunette a few yards left of pepper and the dark skinned man. They start talking as Pepper walks to me, stopping below the stairs. "Dylan, I want you to meet someone" she says.

I heft my duffel and back pack over to the dark skinned man with Pepper. Okay. Could they day get any weirder? He has one eye. One eye! He eyes me a second then his face moves into what I think is his best attempt at a smile. "My name is Nick Fury, I'm the director of shield" he says.

"Shield?" I ask.

"No," Pepper says. " D. it's an acronym for-"

"Strategic Homeland Intervention Enforcement and Linguistics Division" I say, proud I remember it all. Both Nick and Pepper look at me with a disbelieving look—more Pepper than Nick. "How did you-" Pepper starts.

"A friend of dad's works for these guys," I tell her. "Phil." I pull my back pack strap higher onto my shoulder as it starts to sag. "I'm Dylan, BTW" I say to Nick. I would hold out my hand for him to shake but something tells me he's not the type, so I don't. I turn to Pepper. "Why am I here?" she glances at Nick before speaking. Almost hesitantly, like she doesn't want to tell me.

She did that when I first found out dad was Ironman. She didn't want to tell me that either, so I found out from a press conference, when I was staying at mom's house in Chicago. "Dylan, while dad is getting help, you're going to be staying here" she says. I nearly drop the duffel and my shoulders droop. "Why can't I stay with you? I'm almost eighteen, it's legal next week" I protest.

"It's best that you have no contact with your father during his rehabilitation" Nick says. I look back at Pepper, tears welling in my eyes. I almost say something really bad but Nick cuts me off, calling over an assistant or something. "Agent Hill will show you to your room and the places you are allowed access to while on the Helicarrier" Nick says.

The brunette thing two was talking to stands beside him as I turn back to Nick. I force the lump in my throat away and blink away the water in my eyes. I've dealt with enough rejection to be able to hide it swiftly. The brunette—Agent Hill—is much better at smiling than Nick. "Come on Dylan, I'll show you to your room to drop off your things and then I'll show you around the accessible areas" she says.

I hesitantly follow Agent Hill back up the stairs and to the doors I just came in. she leads me up a floor, past the holding cells, and to a door with an electronic hand-scanner. "This door will accept your finger prints" she says. She motions for me to try it, and I do. I press my hand against the scanner and a blue wave of light washes over it.

The door slides left, revealing a small room with a bed and a desk. No window. No bathroom. I walk inside and put my duffel and pack on the bed. "I'll show you the rest of your accessible areas" Agent Hill says, from just outside the door. _Accessible areas_? What is this, a prison?

I follow Agent Hill as she leads me around my 'areas'. "You are allowed almost everywhere but level three and sector thirteen. The holding cells are also off limits," she says, glancing at me, making sure I'm listening. I nod and she continues. "Before you go getting yourself lost, memorize where the communications center is. The lab is off limits unless under supervision."

She continues on about this and that, what not to do and what to do, where to go and where not to go. She shows me the workout room, we pass the lab and the meeting room, then she takes me back to Pepper and Nick. Steve and thing two are nowhere to be found. Pepper gives me a hug, long and drawn out. "You're going to be much better off here" she says, as she pulls away.

I almost want to say 'I doubt it' but I don't. Pepper leaves me with Nick and Agent Hill. I can hear her heels tapping until she gets in the elevator. After watching Pepper leave, Nick turns to me, arms crossed. "Welcome to S.H.I.E.L.D." he says.

"Really? I don't feel so welcome," I say. "I'm gonna go familiarize myself with the hallways." I don't wait for permission, I just walk away. I leave the large room and start walking down a random hallway. I can't believe this. Dad's gone to get help for his 'condition'. That means I'm left with Pepper. But Pepper drops me off with S.H.I.E.L.D. these weird people that call themselves agents.

I don't even know any of these people! Pepper couldn't have just dropped me off with Phil? I pull my iPod from my jean pocket and push in my ear buds. I pass random people, all dressed the same. I bet they call themselves agents, too. But I'm too busy humming to "We Used To Be Friends" by The Dandy Warhols. I listen to it like three times before I pass the lab.

I stop dead in my tracks and I notice someone is in the lab. I turn around to go back and slam into a hard surface. I step back and see I've run into a person. He's talking, saying things. I don't hear though because my ear buds are still in. I yank them out and he chuckles. He obviously didn't see I had them in. "Sorry?" I ask.

"I asked for your name" he says.

"Dylan Welsh-Stark" I say, shoving my iPod into my jeans. My stupid ear buds take some extra effort to shove them into the tiny pockets. "Agent Ward" he says, and he notices my struggle with my ear buds.

"Why do they make these pockets so small?" I ask, sarcastically, to which he chuckles again. I finally get them in and sigh exhaustively. "What brings you to the Helicarrier?" he asks.

"My future step-mom. And my alcoholic dad. apparently I'm staying here for a while. What brings you in, Agent?" I ask, saying _Agent_ sarcastically.

"Work" he says.

"Dylan," Agent Hill says, stepping up beside Agent Ward. God, how many Agents are there? "Director Fury wants you in the control room." I sigh ruefully. Great.


	3. Chapter 3

**Episode 3: Avengers**

I kick my blankets off with a frustrated groan. I toss onto my left side for the hundredth time since I laid down. I sit up and pull on my socks. I stand and straighten my black short-shorts before exiting my room. The light are still on outside in the halls. Does anybody sleep in this place? Or is it just me?

I walk the halls until I can call myself officially lost. Then, though, I see the lab. I sigh with relief and peek in the window. Someone—the same someone from earlier—is still doing things inside. I press the button beside the door to open it and hesitantly step inside. The man is standing on the other side of the center table, doing something I can't see because of some scientific device.

He glances up when I enter and then goes back to doing what he's doing. "Shouldn't you be sleeping?" he asks. I walk over to the table and cross my arms. "I was just going to ask you the same thing" I say. He glances at me again, only this time he notices my T-shirt. It's a black shirt with an arc reactor on it. "Ah," he says, looking back down at his work. "You're Stark's daughter."

"Dylan" I nod.

"Bruce Banner" he says, concentrating on a beaker filled with some kind of purple liquid. No. Effing. Way. Bruce Banner, as in Bruce Banner the Scientist that tested gamma radiation on himself? Normal people would say he was an idiot, but I think it's awesome. I mean, what better way to find out if something works than to try it yourself?

I used that same analogy when I first started messing with Dad's over the counter drugs. I remember thinking it, too. I can see myself open the mirror-cupboard and reaching for the pill bottle. Opening it and pouring some into my hand. Then swallowing them…I shake the thought form my head.

Better off here my ass. It's worse here. I hear the door open and slid shut behind me. I glance back and see thing two walking in. "Shouldn't you be sleeping?" he asks, passing me.

"Why does everybody ask that?" I say to no one in particular.

"This isn't the place for a child" Thing two mumbles.

"Uh, hello, I am not a child" I say, which he ignores. He and Bruce start talking in hushed whispers about something. I can't make out the words they're so quiet. "What is with the whispering?" I ask, quietly, leaning forward on the table so I'm closer. They both glance at me then at each other. "It's top secret" thing two says.

"The hell it is" I say. Bruce chuckles and Thing two glares at him. Bruce straightens and looks at me. "It really isn't something we can talk about" he says. As if. "I'm gonna be here for who knows how long, can't you just throw me a bone?" I ask.

"Fine," Bruce says, earning another glare from thing two. "I'm working on this new theory that supposedly can reverse the homicidal gene in criminals."

"That was you dumbing it down, wasn't it?" I ask. He nods silently, tapping a pen in his hand. "and it's still top secret. You don't have clearance" Thing two says.

"Who are you?" I ask.

"Agent Barton" Bruce says, which seems to irritate thing two.

"You know, there isn't a real homicidal gene. There was a study on it last year and it's undetermined. The human brain doesn't work like that—homicidal and non-homicidal genes. Killing someone comes from a lot of different stressors that the public isn't made aware of.  
So they get these harebrained ideas when really is was a state of mind. Some guy goes out and starts a spree kill—all woman, all blondes. Why? Because the woman are surrogates for the real girl that's making the killer angry. But he doesn't kill her because he doesn't have the courage or the rage to face her yet" I ramble. Agent Barton and Bruce glance at each other then look back at me as I ramble on about the state of mind of a criminal.

I should probably stop talking. So I do. I slowly stop talking and glance between the two of them. "What?" I ask.

"Where did you learn that?" Bruce asks, genuinely interested.

"I watch a lot of Criminal Minds, and I guess with a photographic memory you learn things. That and I'm taking an online criminal psychology course" I reply.

"You learned all that from watching Criminal Minds?" Agent Barton asks. I nod and he sighs as he leaves the lab. "Well, he's just a doll" I say, sarcastically.

"What else do you know about criminal psychology?" Bruce asks. That leads to me staying in the lab until the sun is well up. I went back to my room to change my clothes but then went right back. I finally look at the clock and see it says that it's almost noon. I sigh and continue writing down my theory on a pad of paper while I sit on a stool near the table. Bruce continues whatever he's doing while I write, completely unbothered by my presence.

Another hour later and someone else comes in the lab. "Dylan," someone says, with shock evident in his voice. I look up from my paper and see Steve standing by the door. "Why are you in here?" I hold up my paper. "Helping" I say. Bruce walks over to my stool and looks over my notes. He flips through the pages and nods before handing it back and continuing what he was doing. "You know, I still don't know why you need some kind of reversing serum" I say.

"We have a guest on the Helicarrier" Steve says.

"Who?" I ask.

"Loki" Bruce says, like it's a bitter taste in his mouth.

"As in the god of mischief from Norse mythology?" I ask. "That Loki?" Steve nods and walks closer to the table. "He's real?" he nods again. "And I suppose Thor is real, too?"

"Yes" Bruce says.

"Talking about me again, I see." I look toward the door and see a really tall, muscular blonde guy in a bluish outfit and red cape standing by the door. He smiling and holding a very large hammer. He notices me. "Ah, and who is this?" he asks.

"That's Dylan. Tony's daughter" Steve says.

"It's nice to meet you, Dylan. My name is Thor, of Asgard" he says. I nearly burst into laughter. And then I realize he's serious. "What? Seriously?" I ask, looking between Bruce and Steve. Both nod. I look back at the supposed Thor. "You don't look like what I expected a god would look like" I say.

"And how is a god supposed to look like?" he asks, humoring me.

"Well, you know, dark or white hair, wearing white?" I say.

"We wish" Bruce says, just loud enough to hear.

"I will have you know I'm one of the better looking gods" Thor says.

"As opposed to…?" Steve asks.

"You could always look like a frost giant" I shrug. Thor starts laughing and clasps my shoulder. "I like this one" he says, still chuckling. I don't even know what was so funny about that. I've never even seen a frost giant…


	4. Chapter 4

Episode 4: Loki

Bruce continued working in the lab while I left. I now sit in a lounge type area, flipping channels on a TV. For once in my life Veronica Mars is on while I'm watching TV. I drop the remote on the couch next to me and prop my feet up on the coffee table. I've been so bored. It's only day to, I tell myself, it will get better.

I sit through the rest of the episode and then Criminal Minds starts. Gotta love ion Television. It's my favorite channel. As usual I figure out who the Unsub is before the cast does. "He's not home," I say to them, as though they can hear me. "You just wasted an hour."

"Why do you waste your time watching if you already know the answer?" I hear a sudden voice and jump. I sit up and look behind the couch, toward the door. Standing in the open doorway is a tall guy with long dark hair, wearing a green and black outfit that makes him look like he's going to go trick or treating. "Well? Why do you waste your time?" he asks again.

"I like the story," I say, with a shrug. He walks closer to the couch then around the side so he's standing directly to my right. "Wanna watch?" I ask. After a second's hesitation he sits beside me on the couch. "How did you know I knew?" I ask.

"You've been talking through the whole episode" he says. What? I thought I only spoke twice. Ugh. I was talking without knowing it again. I'm sure there's a medication for that sort of thing. "My name's Dylan" I say.

"Loki" he says, as if he's expecting a reaction. Or applause. So I purposely just nod and keep watching the episode. "You're not the least bit concerned with who I am?" I shake my head. "Not really" I reply.

"Well, that's knew" he says. He talks like Thor does. Only he sounds more human, and his voice is a much higher octave. "I bet." We watch the next two episodes of Criminal Minds and then NCIS: Los Angeles comes on. I groan and change channels. "Not a fan?" Loki asks.

"Not really. What do gods do when they're bored?" I ask, flipping channels. He chuckles with a mischievous grin that suits him perfectly. "You know what," I say, before he speaks. "I don't think I wanna know."

"Probably not" another voice comes from the door. I twist in my seat and look. Steve levels a glare at Loki, which only makes Loki smile. I switch off the TV. "What are you doing in here?" Steve asks Loki. "More importantly why are you anywhere near Dylan?"

"She invited me to sit" Loki says. Steve looks at me with a half-confused half-enraged look. He looks back at Loki. "Free time is up," he says. Loki sighs and stands. "It was nice meeting you, Dylan" he says, with a charming smile that stirs something in my stomach.

"Likewise" I say. He turns and walks out and Steve looks at me. "We will talk about this later" he says, just before turning and following after Loki. Are you kidding me? What is he my dad? He sure seems to act like he thinks he is. I stand and leave the lounge. I go to my room and change into my workout clothes—a red, tight fitting tank top and short black shorts. I walk to the workout room and start up the tread mill. I start slow, just a walk. Then move into a jog, then a run, and then I'm sprinting. I used to run all the time in Chicago.

I had a boy I was interested in and he was interested in me. I had a grandmother and an aunt. None of t hose things matters anymore, though, because I'm stuck here in this top secret hell hole. I take a deep breath and try to picture my running route in Chicago. Down the street with brick apartments. Across the street.

To the park, loop through, and then start back home. Back across the street. I'm almost home when a voice cuts through my mind. No, not my mind. Someone is talking to me. I stop the tread mill and see Steve is walking to me from the door, realizing I wasn't listening. "What were you thinking? He could've hurt you, Dylan" he says, stopping beside me.

"But he didn't. And that speaks volumes" I say, starting up the tread mill again.

"it's too dangerous for you to be alone with Loki" Steve says.

"And it's not dangerous to have someone else in the room? It's basically the same thing when you tally the odds" I say, in between breaths.

"You have no idea what he's capable of" he says.

"Actually I do," I say, stopping the tread mill. I turn and face him, putting my hands on my hips. "Loki was behind the attack on New York, which in turn killed my mother. I know what I'm doing, Steve." His expression softens. "I'm sorry, I didn't know you lost your mother in New York" he says.

"Why do you think dad was so bad? He thinks he failed to save her. I, on the other hand, am venting a different way. Keep your friends close and your enemies closer" I say.

"You want revenge" he realizes.

"Exactly" I say. I step off the tread mill and Steve follows me out. "Revenge is-" he starts.

"A bitch, I know" I finish.

"I was going to say it's a bad idea" he says, glancing at me. I press my hand on the scanner and my bedroom door opens. "I'll be fine, Steve. I'm a big girl, I can fight my own battles" I say, stepping in, letting the door close in between us. I change into a denim short skirt and a black, long-sleeved shirt that buttons up the front. I brush out my hair, slip into my sneakers, and leave my room.

I find myself thinking of Loki. I don't know why, there isn't really anything special about him. Well, he is a god. Of Mischief. I would've asked to be a god of something more important than Mischief. Probably I'd be the goddess of criminal justice. I walk into the lab and Bruce is still hard at it. Does this guy ever sleep? Or even take a break to pee? I doubt it.

I walk in and sit up on the stool. "Any progress?" I ask. he shakes his head, pouring one beaker into another. "I heard you had a run in with Loki," he says. "how was it? Did you drop kick him?" I chuckle. "No, I didn't drop kick him. We watched Criminal Minds for a while and then Steve came and took him back to his cell."

"Sounds like a date to me" Bruce says.

"It wasn't a date" I say.

"What did Steve do?" he asks. He seems to be talking just because he has to, not because he's interested in the conversation. "He thinks I'm an idiot" I say.

"Oh, I'm sure he doesn't think that" he says. Right, and I didn't bleach my hair. Nice going, Dylan.


	5. Chapter 5

Episode 5: firsts

I wake up with a jolt. My face feels a bit puffy and warm and my cheeks feel wet. I glance at my alarm clock and it says it's five AM. I sit up and feel my face around my eyes. Wet. I was crying in my sleep. Well, I guess when you have a dream about your mom dying and you couldn't do anything about it you tend to be emotional.

I push off my covers and stand up, stretching my arms and legs. Then I pop my back so it cracks. I slide on my black hoodie with red stars on it and leave my room. I fix my pony tail as I walk to the lounge. Is it on the couch and debate whether or not to watch TV. "Something bothering you?" I startle and look up. Loki is standing near the wall with a slight smirk.

I take a deep breath to calm my jitters and rub my eyes. Partially because I'm still tired, partially because I don't want the tears to show. I open my eyes and he's sitting next to me. "How are you people so damn quiet?" I ask.

"How old are you?" he asks.

"I'll be eighteen on Saturday" I say, suspiciously. He looks at me like he knows I'm reading his body language. We're also quit close on this small couch. I feel like doing something stupid. It's a really, really stupid thing to do but I do it anyway. I lean forward and press my lips to his. He kisses me back almost immediately, which is a surprise. We both seem to have the same idea, and I lift my leg over to straddle him.

I wrap my arms around his neck and he grips my hips. His tongue brushes my lips and I allow access. Are tongues twist in a sexy dance and I find myself moaning. This feels so wrong and yet at the same time it feels so right. In one quick motion I'm underneath him. He slides my shirt and hoodie up and we break apart enough to pull them off.

He kisses down my neck and to my chest. I've never gotten this far with a guy before. The closest I've ever gotten was when a boy nuzzled my neck in sixth grade. He nuzzles close to my ear. "I've got half a mind to take you right here" he whispers.

"Then why don't you?" I whisper back. I didn't mean to say that. The words flew out of my mouth before I could stop them. He pulls away my shorts and then my underwear. I arch my back and he unclasps my bra. I pull it off and his clothes are somehow gone without me knowing he took them off. I wrap my arms around his neck and press my lips against his.

He thrusts into me and starts a steady rhythm. I find myself liking it more than I should. I roll my hips to meet his thrusts. It feels like heaven. But that could be because I've never done it with anyone else. I feel a searing heat in the pit of my stomach just before reaching my orgasm. He comes as well. Then he climbs off of me and stands, suddenly wearing his clothes again.

I sit up and my clothes are on as well. "You should probably have an excuse for why you're here ready, because someone is coming" he says. I look toward the door then back again and he's gone. Well…that was…um…really, really wrong. But I liked it.


	6. Chapter 6

_**Episode 6: Discussions**_

The weirdest thing about this whole staying on the Helicarrier idea, is that we never land. Or at least that's what I thought. But according to Agent Hill we're landing in Kansas tomorrow for some 'unofficial S.H.I.E.L.D. business'. Where we're landing I'm not sure. But maybe I can finagle some outside hours out of it.

My back and part of my shoulders are still on the bed, but the rest of me drapes off the edge. My head is just barely touching the floor, and my bleach-blonde hair is splayed out across the floor in front of me. I'm also singing along to one of my fav songs—"Still Into You" by Paramore—with my ear buds shoved deep into my ears.

It's been a week since dad went to rehab and I went to S.H.I.E.L.D. when Agent Hill stopped by my room this morning, she gave me my cell phone. With modified contacts of course. Dad's number isn't anywhere in my phone. Pepper's number is in there, though. And so is my BFF Tori. We had a really interesting phone call an hour ago.

_I dialed her number and waited as it rung. On the third ring she answered. "Dude! Where have you been? Everyone thinks you've gone to rehab with your dad" Tori said. I sat on my bed. "I've been under house arrest. But that's not the problem, or why I called you" I said. _

"_Then why did you call me?" she asked. _

"_Because…there's this guy-"_ I_ began. Tori snickered. "I knew it, I knew there was a guy" she said. _

"_Tori focus!" I said. _

"_Sorry!" Tori said. I sighed exhaustively, took a deep breath to compose myself, and began again. "So this guy and I met five days ago. We hung out for a while and then he had to go, but there was something about him I can't put my finger on—but it was there none of less. And then I did something really bad" I said. _

"_OMG, what did you do? You are like the epitome of good behavior" Tori said. Of course, Tori doesn't know that I used my dad's pills to get high, or that I cut myself, or that I bleached my hair. And I even tried smoking once and didn't tell her. _

_she only knows I got a belly ring because we went swimming last summer and I forgot to take it off. "We had sex" I confess. She gasped, long, drawn out, and melodramatically. "But the thing is, is it was just that—sex. I don't even know if I like him in any way-" I started rambling on about how I didn't feel a thing for him and yet I let it get so far. _

_After what feels like forever of rambling, Tori cuts in. "Well, was it good?" she asked. I paused. What was she talking about? "Was what good?" I asked. _

"_The sex." as if I should've known. Tori sleeps with every boy-toy before they can be officially called an item. "I've never even had a boyfriend, how would I know the difference between good and bad sex?" I asked. _

After that she told me all about what's good and what's not. it made me blush several times throughout the monologue. My iPod changes songs, switching to "I Want You To Want Me" the cover version by KSM. I pull myself up onto my bed and twist around to swing my legs off. I don't even know how S.H.I.E.L.D. got my phone. Pepper had it.

But we never landed! I sigh and stand to stretch my legs. Someone knocks on my door and I press the button to open it. It's Agent Hill again, holding a purple duffle bag. "I was told to give this to you" she says, handing it out to me. I take it and she leaves without another word. I shut the door and open up the duffel. My hair care products! Yes!

I sit on my bed and rummage through the bag. I come upon a box of hair color—Darkest Brown. It looks almost black it's so brown. I hum questioningly. When did I buy this? I turn the box over to read the back and find a note attached to it. A yellow sticky note reads, "This is a better color for you" and a single initial tells all. A capital L is signed bellow the text.

I shrug my shoulders in a 'what the hell?' way and stand. I take the box of hair color and a towel to the woman's bathroom. I read the instructions and then begin the process of dying my hair. It takes about thirty minutes. Then another ten to dry out my hair with a towel. I hate towel drying, but I can't run back to my room for the blow dryer, can i?

I pull the towel off my head and nearly gasp. The dark hair is such a contrast to my pale skin. It looks good with my blue-grey eyes, though. I take the box of color and the towel back to my room. I put on my sneakers, pull on my denim jacket, then leave my room. Agent Hill said that the holding cells were off limits. But I need to speak to someone in holding.

I take the elevator to level three—the level with an expansive lab and thirty-five holding cells. I walk discretely past anyone I come upon until I get to the first row of cells. I start down the row, peeking into each door. I don't get far, though. He's in cell six. I walk through the door and up the stairs to the cylinder of a cell. I cross my arms as I stop by the glass.

He turns and noticing me, then smirks as he looks me over. "Weird seeing me with clothes on?" I ask. "Or is it just the hair color?" he chuckles shortly and walks to me from the other side of the cell. He stops near the glass. "What made you decide to take my gift?" he asks, a mischievous glint to his eyes.

"I was sick of white" I shrug.

"So then why are you here?" he asks. "Surely Stark wouldn't let his daughter come alone."

"How did you know?" I ask.

"Wild guess" he says, sarcastically.

"I'm here because of what happened last night. It was a mistake and I assure you it will never happen again" I say.

"Oh, and I thought we were getting along. I'm thoroughly disappointed, really. But couldn't you have just told me this tomorrow, during my few hours I get to spend out of this cell?" I sigh. "You can't do that. you can't have sex with someone and then not talk about it," I say. "at least humans can't, anyway."

"And why is that?" Loki asks, as he starts pacing around the cell.

"Because humans have this funny little thing called love. Love is an emotion we feel. And if you don't feel that you have to tell the other person. You can't mess with everyone's heart. Love isn't just another game you can play and expect to win" I say.

"Do you? Love?" he asks, more to taunt me than to know the answer.

"Do _you_?" I shoot back, sarcastically.

"Of course I do," he says.

"I doubt that" I say.

"You _are_ a feisty one, aren't you?" he says, stopping his pace in the middle.

"No, I'm just smart enough not to fall for your game. Don't expect to see me again, and I don't mean around the Helicarrier" I say, which causes a smirk. I turn and trot down the stairs to the door.


	7. Chapter 7

**Episode 7: Calls & Deals**

I sit on my bed again. I feel this weird feeling in my stomach. It isn't good but it isn't bad either. I stand and leave my room as boredom sets in. I walk to the lab and press the button. The door slides open and I walk inside. Bruce is hard at work doing at the table, just like yesterday.

Thor is standing near the wall across from the door with his arms loosely crossed over his chest. And a red headed woman is standing near the far left corner of the room, wearing a dark blue jump suit with the S.H.I.E.L.D. symbol on the shoulders. Steve is standing to her left. "Ah, Dylan," Thor says. "We were just talking about you."

"That and your many hair colors" Steve says.

"Where did you get hair dye?" the red head asks.

"My things," I say. "The ones Agent Hill brought me." I walk to the table and sit up on the stool. "Any progress?" I ask Bruce.

"Not since the last time you checked—thirty minutes ago" he replies.

"I'll be back for another progress report next week" the red head says, before exiting the lab, followed by Steve. It's quiet a second. Agent Hill walks into the lab. "Dylan, come with me" she says. I sigh and then hop off the stool. I follow her out and down a few hallways to the main hub.

Nick Fury stands by his big window, like every time I come in here. Agent Hill leads me to a desk along a row of desks and sits me in the chair. She sits in the chair besides me and swivels it to face me. She picks up a phone that was on the desk and holds it out to me. "You get one scheduled phone call with your father every other week" she says.

I take the phone and put it to my ear. "Hello?" for a second it's quiet. Then I hear dad's voice. "Hey kid," he says. I feel a lump forming in my throat and I swallow, but it doesn't help. "How ya been?"

"Lonely. Confused. Hurt" I say.

"That's understandable" he says. I hate that Agent Hill has to sit here and supervise. Otherwise I would say a lot of things to dad. "How have you been fitting in with the Avengers? They treating you okay?" he asks.

"I think Thor is the most pleased by my presence. Well, him and Bruce. Agent Barton couldn't care less" I say, glancing at Agent Hill. She pretends to look away to give me some fake privacy. "Look, kid, there's ah…something I need to tell you….you have a sister" Dad says.

"What? No, I'm an only child" I say.

"No, you're not. You see, your mom and I split you two up when you the both of you were born-"

"Both? You mean at the same time? We're twins?" I ask.

"Yeah. Your sister's name is Daniel, or Dani for short. She's living with your aunt in Chicago" he says.

"Why are you just telling me this now?" I ask.

"You have three minutes" Agent Hill says. I nod to her then turn the other way to better hear dad. "Your mother made me keep it a secret because of what you two can do if you're together. You have to find Dani, okay? She knows you exist. Just…find her" he says.

"Time's up" Agent Hill says. She takes the phone and ends the call. I try not to but I give her a look that says I want to hurt her. I stand from the chair and hurry out of the room. And I do something I thought I wouldn't do. I run to the holding cells. Number six. I open the door and walk up the stairs. "Well, look who's here" Loki says, forward on the glass.

"Cut the shit, Loki," I say, standing in front of the glass. "You have magical powers, right? You can do things?" he tilts his head a bit. "Why are you asking?" he asks.

"I need to find someone. Can you locate her if she has my DNA?" I ask.

"Theoretically, yes" he says.

"Then I need you to do it, I need you to help me find her" I say.

"And if I do? Then what will I get in return?" he asks.

"What do you want?" I ask, crossing my arms. He thinks about it a second then turns back to me. "You" he says.

"Me? What do you want from me?" I ask.

"What is it that _you_ think I want?" he asks, mischievously. Oh. Now I get it. He helps me and in return I give him sex. Wonderful. "Fine," I say. "But only if you for sure find her. you give me one false lead and I'll go find her myself." He nods. "Deal."


	8. Chapter 8

**Episode 8: Finding Dani**

The plane landed a few minutes ago. Now we're in Hays Kansas. I put on my black and grey tennis shoes, jeans, my Ironman T-shirt, and a jacket. Agent Hill agreed to let me at least see the sunlight before we depart again. I'm taking the opportunity to escape. Loki and I tracked down Dani to the West side of Chicago last night.

I sneak into the bay, where the door remains open and unguarded. There's no one I can see but I make sure I'm quiet and out of sight, just in case. I quietly sneak down the ramp and around the side of the Helicarrier, toward the road. At least that's what my iPhone says.

I follow the map to Highway 35, only a mile's trek from the Helicarrier. I walk along the road to the Greyhound station. I use cash to buy a ticket into Chicago. I don't want S.H.I.E.L.D. finding me before I have a chance to see Dani. I wait for the bus for about fifteen minutes before it arrives.

It stops and the door slides open. The bus empties and I hop up the steps. I sit in a seat near the back and shove in my ear buds. Only a couple of people get on and then the door closes. The bus drive onward. Toward Chicago. Toward Dani.

11 hours and 20 minutes later, the bus stops at a station in Chicago. I hurry off the bus with stiff muscles. Then I use my iPhone to find my way to the West side, and to the apartment my Aunt owns. It takes a good hour, but I get there. I slide my phone into my pocket and walk up the cement steps to the green door.

I take a deep breath and then knock twice on the door. It opens a second later. A girl my height, and looks to be my age, with strikingly blonde hair and blue-grey eyes opens it. She wears jeans, black boots, and a white tank top that reveals tattoos of various kinds up her left arm. "Dani Welsh?" I ask.

"Yeah…who wants to know?" she asks. Oh my god. Her voice sounds like mine, too. "My name is Dylan Welsh-Stark" I say. Her eyes widen a bit and she looks at me more intensely. She grabs my arm and yanks me inside, shutting the door behind me.

I stumble a bit but catch myself. I turn around and face her. She crosses her arms and I notice she has a black nose ring. The type you'd see on a bull. "Why are you here?" she asks. "Did someone send you to charade as my sister? I got off parole already, so you can go home."

"I'm not charading. I'm your sister, for real. Dad sent me" I say. Her shoulders relax a bit but she doesn't let up. "Did anyone follow you?" she asks.

"No…?" I say. Then she walks forward and hugs me tightly. She's crushing me so much I can hardly breathe. "Can't…breathe…need…air…" I say. She jumps back and air fills my lungs. I take a deep breath. "Sorry. I guess I don't know my own strength" she says. It's quiet a second as we take each other in. "How did you find me?" she asks.

"Um…I had a little help from a frenemy" I say.

"You mean S.H.I.E.L.D.?" she asks, sounding a bit panicked.

"No. they don't know where I am" I say.

"They will soon. You have to leave. I can't let them find me again" she says.

"Again?" I ask. As if it were planned, a few S.H.I.E.L.D. agents burst through the door. Dani stands just in front of me, as if guarding me. Agent Hill and Nick Fury walk in after the agents. I step around Dani and stand in front of her instead. Nick sighs as he stops a few feet from me. Agent Hill looks frustrated but like she expected I'd make a run for it. It was just a matter of time. "Who's your friend?" Nick asks.

"My sister" I say.

"You don't have a sister" Agent Hill says.

"Yes, she does" Nick says.

"We're on a deadline, sir" Agent Hill says.

"I'm well aware of that. You two girls come with me, now" Nick says. Dani and I reluctantly follow. I feel bad for involving her in this. She doesn't say a word on the way to the Helicarrier. We get out of the black suburban and Nick leads the way up the ramp. Dani walks a little behind me up and then the ramp folds up, closing us in.

That's when I feel this weird heat in my lower left side. My hands heat up as well. Dani and I have both stopped walking. I look at her. She seems a bit uncomfortable and…her hands are pulsating blue! Oh my god! What is going on? She gasps and looks at my hands, therefore I do too.

Mine are pulsating blue, too! I shriek. Then I see a spark on my right hand. It sparks twice before some kind of blue energy shoots from my hand. It rips into the side of the Helicarrier. Dani and I both jump back. Nick and Agent Hill have stopped walking. They run back to us and see what I've done to the wall. Dani gasps. "Uh oh" she says.

I look at her, just before a blue energy bolt shoots from her hand and runs smack into Agent Hill. It sends her into the wall behind her. I jump away from Dani and my hands stop pulsating. So do hers. Nick seems to notice this, as well. He grabs my arm and pulls me to him, away from Dani.

He calls for an agent to take Dani to a holding cell. He then takes me to the lab. We walk inside and Bruce, Steve, and Agent Barton are all talking. But they stop when we enter. They all notice I'm visibly shaking and their expressions change from happy to concern. "What happened?" Steve asks.

"I need one of you to watch Dylan" Nick says.

"I'll do it" Bruce volunteers. Nick nods then leaves the lab. Steve walks to me. "Are you okay?" he asks. I shake my head. "Something happened…Agent Hill, she…I need to see if she's okay" I say. I start for the door but Steve holds me back. "Slow down. Tell me what happened to Agent Hill" he says.

"It was Dani, she…she did this thing…her hands were blue…so were mine-" I only hear myself in spurts. I feel myself talking but I don't hear half of what I'm saying. I'm in shock. I claim to be such a badass but when bad things happen I get scared. Ironic. "She shot her with blue energy coming from her hand?" Bruce asks. I nod numbly. "And you did it, too?" Steve asks. I nod again.

They both share a knowing glance. Steve leaves me with Bruce. I sit on the stool and spill all the details of the ordeal. A few minutes later Thor and Steve walk in. "What did this blue energy look like?" Thor asks me.

"It…it looked like, um…" I can't think of it. My brain is too scattered. "Lightning?" Thor asks. I nod. "Yeah, that's what it looked like. How'd you know?" Steve and Thor share a glance. A knowing one. one that makes me not want to know why.


	9. Chapter 9

**Episode 9: Bad Intentions**

I stare at myself in the bathroom mirror. My lower left side is still warm. I turn and lift up the corner of my shirt, revealing a dark pink patch of skin around a light blue cloud-looking mark. My birth mark. I noticed it when I was ten. I never really paid any attention to it, but now it's odd shape confirms my worst fears.

I bolt out of the bathroom and slam into a hard surface. Hands grab my arms to steady me and my head spins a bit. I look up and find myself staring into dark, mischievous eyes. I rip my arms out of Loki's grasp and start down the hallway. To my annoyance he follows me. "What do you want?" I ask over my shoulder.

"Your sister is definitely interesting. And her ability to inflict pain is very attractive" he says. I'm halfway to the lab. I just have to keep my words to a minimum and ignore what he says in reply. I can do that. "You touch her, I kick your ass" I say. He chuckles in his dark way. "Promise?" he asks, sarcastically.

Thank god. I press the button and the door to the lab slides open. I press the one on the inside, locking Loki out. I turn around to see I'm being stared at by Steve, Thor, and Bruce. I take a deep breath. "I'm Asgardian" I say. Thor stands up straighter, looking at me more seriously. Steve looks at me like I'm crazy. Bruce's expression turns to understanding. "No, that's not possible" Steve says.

"Not unless one of her parents was from Asgard" Thor says. I turn sideways and lift up the corner of my shirt. Silence. I still feel the heat radiating and throbbing. "That's not supposed to be blue, is it?" Bruce asks, sarcastically. No one took kindly to the joke. I drop my shirt and turn back to them. "It would have to have been my mother. Because obviously my dad is human" I say.

"Do you think he knew?" Steve asks. I shrug and shake my head. "I don't know…"

"Would your sister know?" Thor asks.

"Maybe," I say. "We could check for a birthmark while we're at it." I start to turn for the door but Steve is at my side in an instant, grabbing my arm enough to hold me in place. "Maybe you shouldn't go" he suggests. I begin to ask why but Thor and Steve are already out the door, nearly running into Loki, who was sulking in the hall. That or he was waiting for me to come out so he could inquire about our bargain.

Loki watches them a minute before turning to me. "We have unfinished business" he says.

"Don't you have a hole to go crawl into first?" I ask.

"After you then, if that's the case" he says.

"Just go to hell already" I say. Loki begins to say something but Bruce steps next to me, an arm around my shoulders protectively. "Is something wrong here?" he asks, looking right at Loki. And Loki looks right back at him. "Okay," I say, stepping between them. "Bruce, I'm fine, really." I say it because I don't want Bruce to know about the deal. That and if something happened I'm pretty sure this doorway wouldn't hold the Hulk.

Bruce nods, still looking at Loki. "Let me know if you need him to back off, okay?" he says, finally looking at me. I nod and he goes back to the table. I step out of the doorway and the door slides shut behind me. I start walking down the hallway and Loki follows. This is gonna suck, but I have to do it. I agreed to the stupid deal and now I must follow through with it.

Once in my bedroom, the door shut, the lights off, Loki pins me against the wall. To my surprise, he presses his lips to mine. Urgently, like he hadn't taken a breath for hours and I was his oxygen. It feels like acid on my lips that sends a spark down my throat, setting the pit of my stomach on fire. The heat hurts and feels intoxicating at the same time.

The first thing to come off is my shirt. It would feel weird being half naked in front of him, but it's nothing he hasn't seen before. Next are my jeans. Then my bra and underwear. His clothes disappear the same as last time. He pushes me down on my bed and climbs a top me, his lips leaving me for only mere seconds. This time feels different.

I _feel_. Unlike last time when I was too busy being consumed by the feeling of having sex for the first time. Now I feel _him_, too. Not just my stupid feelings of ecstasy as a hormonal response. He takes his time, kissing every inch of me before moving into place. He thrusts into me lightly, almost as if he's trying to be gentle. I can just barely make out the lines of his face in the darkness.

His thrusts pick up and turn into a steady rhythm. I meet his thrusts with a roll of my hips. We work in silence. Maybe he thinks if he speaks, we'll start arguing and throwing insults. And that would ruin the mood in a heartbeat. He grips my hips tightly and trails kisses down my neck. The heat in my stomach burns hotter as I reach my release.

His comes a minute after mine. He pulls out and drops beside me, laying on his back as I do. The only sound is that of our ragged breathing. For a second his hand brushes mine and, for a fraction of the time, I thought I felt something. Something pulling at my heart. I look at the clock. It says it's five thirty pm. Why haven't they come to collect him yet? His deadline is five Am/Pm. But he's still here.

I calm my heart rate, taking slow breaths. Without a word, Loki huddles against my side, head resting on my shoulder. What's gotten into him? "You know, if you keep acting like this, I might start to think you like me" I whisper.

"And that's wrong?" he whispers back. My heart stops. He wants me to think he likes me? It's probably just another of his many games to con me out of my body, my time, and my heart. My mouth dries and I can't think. All I know is what I feel. I swallow. "I guess not" I whisper. He pulls the blanket up and I snuggle into his chest. He hesitates a second.

Then pulls the blanket over us. He wraps his arms around me. For a second I felt everything was how it should be. And then I remembered he was responsible for killing my mother.


End file.
